Everton sign Belgian midfielder Orel Mangala on loan from Lyon

Everton have added to their midfield by signing Orel Mangala from Olympique Lyonnais on a season-long loan.

The 26-year-old Belgian international joins Everton as their seventh signing of the summer transfer window.

Mangala arrives at Goodison Park with Premier League experience, having spent 18 months at Nottingham Forest before his move to Lyon earlier this year. He has also represented Belgium 19 times.

Expressing his enthusiasm about the move, Mangala shared with evertontv, “I feel really happy to be here and I can't wait to get started. Everton is a big club. When I’ve played against Everton in the past, I’ve always felt there is a big fanbase here with a lot of passion for their club so it was an easy decision for me to come here."

Mangala is eager to contribute to Everton’s midfield, aiming to bring balance between the defensive line and the attack.

“I think I'm someone who is composed on the ball. I like to link up play in the midfield between the defensive players and the attack ­– hopefully a bit of a balance of everything. I’m feeling good and I’m ready to go,” he added.

Looking forward to connecting with the supporters, Mangala said, “I can’t wait to meet the fans at Goodison and to start my journey here. I want to help make it a special last season at Goodison and to help the Club reach our goals. Up the Toffees!”

Mangala’s professional career began in Germany with Stuttgart. His journey continued with a move to Nottingham Forest in 2022. He later joined Lyon, where he helped the team secure European qualification last season.

Everton manager Sean Dyche expressed his satisfaction with the new addition, stating, “We’re pleased to strengthen our midfield with the arrival of Orel. We want competition for places throughout our squad and his loan signing gives us extra options and adds depth to our midfield.”

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